The 3/50 Project in Action

In the spirit of Project 3/50 we had a big day of shopping local last weekend. We started at our favorite lunch spot, Stone Soup, for yet another delicious meal. The back patio flowerbeds are bursting with color, in many shades of lavender and green. It sets the mood to slow down and enjoy. The lunch was excellent, asparagus-red and pepper-blue cheese whole wheat quesadillas.

And the coconut-lime cake we shared for dessert was terrific! Very dense yet delicate. It is definitely becoming one of our favorite local eateries.

We then headed east, over Afton Mountain to Critzer Farm, home of pick-your-own-strawberries. The berries were looking gorgeous and we picked up a couple of pre-picked quarts. We'll head back next weekend to pick-our-own for homemade jam and strawberry pie. (yum!)

Then we headed south for some thrifting at Rockfish Community Center. The old elementary schoolhouse has been converted into a thrift store, a gathering space and the Earl Hamner Jr. Theater. It's a lovely little spot with a great view of the mountains to the west. From there we headed south to the SPCA Thrift Shop in Lovingston which has moved to a new location just south of town. We were greeted by the nicest ladies there. It made us feel especially good knowing that our money from what we bought went to help pay for the care of all the sweet pets at Almost Home Animal Shelter. The new thrift store is huge, very clean and well organized. We picked up some great deals, recycled castaways and helped the furbabies all in one visit. Nice!

After that we headed up to Wintergreen to meet the hubs at the pool. The kids enjoyed the pool while J'Daddy and I caught a little sun on the deck. Employees families can hang out for free which is a very nice bonus for us. We had a picnic on the mountain overlook and from the pic above you can clearly see why they are called the Blue Ridge Mountains. They are beautiful!

I encourage you to explore and enjoy the treasures that are right around you. Shop Local. All told, we really didn't spend that much but every little bit helps. These shopkeepers and workers are our neighbors. Helping them helps all of us.

Best of Friends

I had the most wonderful surprise package show up on my doorstep recently. I opened the package to find four signed art prints from my old friend Victor. My favorite is Best of Friends, shown above. Years ago, Vic and I worked together at a small ad agency in the midwest. Vic was the photographer and I was the art director. We spent a lot of time together working on shoots and scouting locations. He's an incredibly talented photographer and a great guy. A few years ago he had an on-the-job accident that required several months of rehab. He started drawing again, mostly focusing on horses and western art, as a way to pass time while recuperating. He's had alot of interest in his work from western and horse enthusiasts and various equestrian associations. Pop over to Victor Burdick Art Studio to check out his work. Feel free to share it with any horse lovers or equestrian enthusiasts you know. Thanks for the great art Vic!

The Gift of Clean

It's been a wonderful Mother's Day. I've been showered with handmade cards, breakfast out, perennials for my flowerbed and my favorite – hugs, hugs and more hugs. I thought about my first Mother's Day, now 11 years ago, which seems more like 100. A brand new tiny person that's now almost as tall as I am. And my baby who's not even close to being a baby anymore. I think about my Mom, whose baby is almost 40. All the things that she did and still does for us, she's always busy. I suppose I didn't far fall from the tree. Even today, I am doing chores just like any other day. Why is it that chores never go on holiday? I started cleaning the windows and noticed I was running low on window cleaner. Time to whip up another batch! As I was mixing it all together, I thought it might be fun to share my recipe with you. I really like this stuff and it's a much less expensive option than what you'll find at the store. Not to mention it's earth, human and pet-friendly and smells fabulous - enjoy!

Lemon-Mint Window Cleaner
2 cups water or club soda
Juice of one fresh lemon (though you can substitute bottled pure lemon juice)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint essential oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Mix all ingredients and pour into a plastic spray bottle. Shake well before you use it each time as ingredients may settle. Consider reusing newspaper or lint-free cotton rags to clean your windows, rather than paper towels.

Irony is hell

My kids and I were chilling at Rapunzel's coffeehouse and used bookstore the other day. The kids went on into the store to find something fun to read and a soft sofa to crash on while I ordered myself a chai. A few minutes later, decaf spiced chai in hand, I sat down on a red velvet sofa and looked across the room to see what my tots were up to. Low and behold I see my son reading this – clearly not recommended reading for an 8 yr old. After a good laugh, and snapping this pic, I went over to take a closer look. "What are you reading son?" I said to him. "It's a cartoon book Mom." "Did you read the words on the front of the book?" I questioned. "Yeah" he said. "And you still thought it was a good idea to go ahead and open it up?" I asked. "It's just cartoons Mom, the drawings are cool but the stories are a little weird." Then he paused and said "You would like it," handed me the book and was off to the bookshelf again. 'nuf said ;-)

Project 3/50

I just came across this great project. I urge you to take a look and act. It really does matter where you spend your money.